When in NeedFriends Are Useful Super Lana 6
by DJ Dubois
Summary: When the Black Hand kidnaps Lana and Martha, how will Clark get them back? And is there a new bond between Clark and Lana? (Clanasome Chlex)


When in Need, Friends are Useful Indeed (Super Lana 6)  
David J. Duncan  
April 2004  
  
Notes: Smallville belongs to DC and the WB. All other characters are mine. Please send comments to dante0220@yahoo.com .  
  
Chapter 1 [Metropolis—LuthorCorp]  
  
It was the middle of the night in Metropolis. The moon shone down through the wispy clouds, providing some light for those still on the roads. While only a portion of the populace did their business, they were of a select few individuals on both sides of the law.  
  
While most of the workers had long since gone home, the lights blazed away in Lionel Luthor's office suite. The businessman had toiled away, tracking down leads and calling in favors to pursue his latest obsession: a certain farm boy from Smallville. For the previous two years, Clark Kent stymied both him and his son, Lex, with his sudden appearances and disappearances. In fact, during his bout with blindness—or rather while he was faking blindness, the young man had crushed a cue ball with his bare hand. In addition, there was the mystery of the Kowachi Caves. What is his connection to them? And what do the drawings on the walls mean? He got up and paced the office's length. What does it all mean? It was an enigma and he hated such things.  
  
The phone rang, interrupting his train of thought.  
  
"Yes?" he answered.  
  
"Lionel, it's the High Leader," the High Leader, as the Black Hand's leader liked to be styled.  
  
"And what can I do for you?" the businessman asked. "Are we any closer to the Javalastan take over?"  
  
"Unfortunately no. Since our last attempt, your son has stepped up security around the Princess. We are still formulating a new plan."  
  
"Formulate faster! My foreign interests depend upon it," he informed the other. "In the meantime, do we have any leads on our two masked interlopers?"  
  
"None. They haven't been sighted since our last attack," the High Leader reported.  
  
I wonder if Clark Kent is connected to them somehow? "While you're formulating, I have a theory of sorts that I want to play with."  
  
"The Kent boy? Lionel, don't waste your time," the other admonished.  
  
"Maybe it is a waste but I want to be sure. I have a plan to deal with him and distract my son. If it works, the Princess will be vulnerable. Get the picture?" Lionel proposed.  
  
A sinister chuckle could be heard over the connection. "Perfectly. Keep us informed. Meantime, Hansei Arighatto will be back in the fold soon. If you find those masked brats, he wants his revenge."  
  
If I'm right, he'll need to stand in line. "I'll see what I can do," Lionel agreed, hanging up the phone. A cruel smile spread across his face, as he considered his options. Lex is holding a meeting with those kids and Martha Kent. That will do nicely. Very nicely indeed.  
  
Chapter 2 [Luthor Castle, Smallville—Two Days Later]  
  
Lex sat in his study, inputting numbers into a last minute spreadsheet and charting economic projections. In the previous four months since he had taken back LexCorp from his father, his stocks had flourished. "Maybe I can finally hire back the last of the workers that Dad laid off two years ago," he mused to nobody in particular. He smirked in satisfaction, knowing that his entrepreneurial efforts were turning the public's view of him. Maybe they'll finally accept that I want to be a friend instead of another Luthor puppet master.  
  
Then there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Yes?" he asked.  
  
Jasmine stuck her head in. "Lex, do you have a minute?"  
  
"For you? Of course. Please come in," he told her.  
  
She entered the sanctum nervously and closed the door behind her. "I just wanted to say that this meeting with Mrs. Kent is a wonderful idea, Lex. She's a great person."  
  
He nodded. "Yes, she is. She doesn't get enough credit for what she does. Maybe if we can showcase her cookies at the Talon, she'll get some more attention."  
  
"You just want freebies for yourself, don't you?" she teased.  
  
He smirked. "Would you turn down her cooking, Jasmine?"  
  
"Certainly not! If I wasn't afraid of upsetting half of the town, I'd ask Papa to hire her as the Official Chef," she commented.  
  
"She'd be flattered but I don't think she'd take it," he pointed out. "She likes things as they are." He glanced at his watch. "Speaking of the meeting, we need to get going." After saving his spreadsheet and shutting down the computer, he got up from behind the desk. "Well, shall we?"  
  
"Certainly. Cocoa's sleeping in my room so we're all set," she agreed, following him out.  
  
***** [The Talon]  
  
Martha fretted over the batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies in the counter display case. She hoped everyone would like them. She sat down and took a sip from her coffee cup, looking up at the clock repeatedly. To make matters worse, she wished that Lex wouldn't have closed the café for this meeting.  
  
Lana came over with a fresh pot. "Want a refill, Mrs. Kent?"  
  
She shook her head. "That's okay, Lana, thanks but if I have any more, I'll be jumping out of my chair."  
  
After making sure that they wouldn't be revealing the Secret, the former cheerleader joked, "You'd rather leave that to us, wouldn't you?"  
  
Martha gave her a knowing look. "I was hoping to keep Clark out of trouble," she teased.  
  
"We've done all of our practicing on the farm," the younger woman pointed out. "I'm just grateful for your help along with Mr. Kent."  
  
"We're happy to help you. Clark's so happy since you now are alike," Martha declared.  
  
Miranda chuckled from the counter. "You can say that again. He's practically floating up the stairs these days."  
  
"You're not serious," Lana doubted, rolling her eyes at her sidekick.  
  
The sensei smirked and winked playfully. "He might as well be. I think the change is great myself."  
  
"And why wouldn't I be happy these days?" Clark shot back from his seat. "I don't have to hide from as many people these days."  
  
Miri held up a set of plastic glasses with a fake nose and moustache. "If you do, let me know. I have a million disguises."  
  
"That's okay, Miri, I think I can do okay on my own."  
  
"Gee, Clark, I think the nose would look good on you," his girlfriend teased while setting down the coffee pot and walking over to him.  
  
"You would," he cracked, kissing her on the cheek.  
  
"Yeah well, it might help to get you past Chloe if needed," she retorted, noting the ever present challenge of evading Smallville's Most Inquiring Mind.  
  
At that moment, Lex and Jasmine entered the restaurant and locked the door behind them.  
  
"Hi, everyone," Jasmine greeted, waving her hand.  
  
"Hey, Jasmine, take a seat!" Clark invited, pulling the chair out for her.  
  
"My! Such the gentleman! Lana, you have him trained well," the Princess kidded.  
  
"Yeah I do," Lana concurred, smiling warmly at her boyfriend.  
  
"Lex, help," Clark requested.  
  
The businessman smirked good-naturedly at his friend. "There's nothing wrong with being a gentleman, Clark. The ladies love it."  
  
"Whatever the boss says," Miranda retorted.  
  
He shook his head. Too bad Chloe was tied up in Metro with that job fair. Still I'll talk to her tonight. "Shall we get started then?"  
  
Everyone nodded.  
  
"Great," Lex concurred. "Lana and I agree that we should have the best desserts in Smallville here at the Talon as often as possible. Accordingly, Mrs. Kent, do you think you could whip up some cookies twice a week for us?"  
  
Martha shrugged. "I don't see why not, especially with Clark and Miranda around to help out. I don't think my cookies are that good, Lex."  
  
"I beg to differ, Mrs. Kent," the entrepreneur disagreed. "My father's chefs would love to make them as good as you do."  
  
"In fact, they could bring the house down," Lana added. As she did, she heard a ticking sound coming from the door with her super hearing. What now?  
  
Clark heard the sound too and got up from his chair. "Guys, get down!"  
  
"What?" Jasmine asked.  
  
Seeing the looks on the others' faces, Miranda saw what looked like a grey blob on the window. "Do it!"  
  
Just as they all hit the floor, the door blew in, shattering from the blast.  
  
When the smoke cleared, the group saw a six masked men wearing black standing in the area.  
  
"Stay where you are!" one—apparently the leader—ordered.  
  
"What do you want?" Lex coughed, managing to get to his feet while holding his hands up.  
  
Two more goons stepped forward, grabbing Martha and Lana. "Just them. We'll be in touch."  
  
Clark wanted to do something but his mother shook her head. "Mom!"  
  
Do not reveal yourself, my Son, Jor-El bade inside of his head.  
  
"You won't get away with this!" Jasmine told them.  
  
"We'll be back for you, Princess," the leader indicated. "Right now, we'll settle for these two." He shoved Lana and Martha through where the front door had been. "Don't leave town," he laughed.  
  
Clark glared at the door and clenched his fists. I'll find you both.  
  
"Clark, there was nothing you could do," Miranda pointed out.  
  
"Not now, Miri," he told her pointedly as he tried to keep his temper in check. "Jasmine, are you all right?"  
  
"No, I agree with you," the Princess declared angrily.  
  
"Clark, my people will work on this," Lex indicated. "Just go home and let me deal with this."  
  
Miranda rolled her eyes. Yeah right. Smallville's own super hero camping out at home? Not likely.  
  
At that moment, Sheriff Adams entered the scene with her deputy. "What happened?"  
  
"Afternoon, Sheriff, you're late," Lex quipped.  
  
"I don't need any lip, Mr. Luthor," the sheriff directed.  
  
Great. Clark sighed, "Sheriff, can I give a statement and get home?"  
  
Sheriff Adams squinted at him. "You have anything to do with this situation, Mister Kent?"  
  
"Other than sitting here and having a cup of coffee? No. I was talking with my girlfriend when these masked goons blew the door in and took off with Lana and my Mom," Clark responded, trying to remain patient with the taciturn official.  
  
"That's the truth, Sheriff," Jasmine verified.  
  
"I'll be with ya in a minute, Princess. Let Mr. Kent finish," Sheriff Adams snapped.  
  
Jasmine glared at her. "Excuse me! Who do you think you are?"  
  
"This here's my jurisdiction!" Sheriff Adams countered.  
  
Jasmine went nose to nose with her. "My involvement makes it an international incident, Sheriff. Be advised, my father will want a full report of the situation. Make sure you do it right! We were attacked! My honored friends, Mrs. Kent and Lana are missing! They said they'd call back! Stop with the games and get on with it!"  
  
Lex and Clark looked at each other, relishing how their friend used her position as leverage to one-up the sheriff at her own game.  
  
Sheriff Adams frowned, as she put her pad away. "I will get to the bottom of this. You can count on that!" With that, she led her deputy out the door.  
  
Lex smirked. "Forget going back to Javalastan, Jasmine. I'm thinking of hiring you as my personal bodyguard."  
  
Jasmine shook her head at him. "Lex, that isn't humorous at all! Our friends are gone! Clark, I need to talk with your father about this if I can."  
  
"Let's go then," Clark agreed. "Miri, can you drive us there?"  
  
"I'll have Abdul meet you there," Lex indicated, as they left.  
  
Chapter 3 [Kent Farm]  
  
When the teenagers arrived, they found Jonathan talking with Sheriff Adams about the situation.  
  
"Are you both all right?" the farmer asked.  
  
"We're fine, Dad," Clark assured him. "Have they called?"  
  
"Has who called?" Jonathan inquired.  
  
"The kidnappers," Miranda noted.  
  
"We'll be setting up a tap on the phone just in case," the sheriff told them. "I'll go and get the equipment." With that, she got into her cruiser and left.  
  
Jonathan watched her drive out of sight. Then he asked, "All right, kids. What happened?"  
  
"Lex and I had just arrived at the Talon, Mr. Kent. Then six masked men used an explosive device to blow the door open," Jasmine explained.  
  
"They took Lana and Mom with them, Dad," Clark added.  
  
"What would they want with Lana and your mother?" Jasmine asked. "Certainly, you've done nothing wrong, Clark."  
  
Miranda scratched her head, recalling their run-ins with the Black Hand. They were from that gang! Could they have figured out who we were? She also remembered that the leader had used kryptonite on Clark and Lana. And if he has any more, we're in for it.  
  
At that moment, Lex's Ferrari pulled up in the driveway.  
  
"Any word, Lex?" Jonathan inquired.  
  
"None as of yet," the billionaire replied, making no attempt to hide his concern. "Mr. Kent, I have people looking for them. We'll find them."  
  
"Your father's relieved to know that you're safe, Princess," Abdul noted. "After this, I wish you would let me stay closer to you."  
  
Jasmine rolled her eyes. "You practically follow me like a watch dog as it is, Abdul! A girl needs her space!"  
  
"It's for the best—at least until these guys are taken care of," Clark pointed out. He looked her in the eye. "Jasmine, you heard what they said in there. They'll try again and you're the next target."  
  
The Princess countered, "Clark, I've been a target for my entire life. Trust me; I'm not the helpless harem girl you all think I am."  
  
Recalling the scene at the airport from her arrival, the Kryptonian had to agree. She can handle herself. Still, to keep her secret, I have to deny it. "Just do us a favor. Go along with it...at least for now." He sighed. "Bad enough that Lana's missing. I don't want any more of my friends in the line of fire. Please, Jasmine."  
  
Jasmine analyzed the look he was giving her. Allah, preserve me, he's scared. Of course he is. The two most important women in his life are missing. "All right, Clark. I'll do it."  
  
"Thank you," he told her, feeling relieved.  
  
At that moment, a red sports car pulled up and Chloe Sullivan jumped out.  
  
"Chloe?" Clark asked, seeing the concerned expression on her face.  
  
"What's going on?" the Hazel Fury demanded, stalking right up to the group. "My Dad and I just received some sort of ransom call for Lana!"  
  
Jonathan frowned. "Where's your Dad, Chloe?"  
  
"He's waiting for Sheriff Adams. Talk about a major waste of time," the reporter muttered.  
  
Lex cleared his throat. "Chloe, the Talon was attacked this afternoon. Mrs. Kent and Lana were kidnapped by several masked goons in black. My people are tracing it now."  
  
Miri and Clark glanced at each other, already suspecting the Black Hand.  
  
"We just can't sit still!" Chloe pointed out.  
  
"We don't have a choice," Miri disagreed. "I trust Mr. Luthor to get to the bottom of this mess." And I hope my stepfather's not involved in this situation. His stench is all over it.  
  
"Jasmine, come on. We need to get you back to the mansion," Lex declared.  
  
"My friends, we'll get them back," the Princess assured them. Looking right at Clark, she added, "They'll be safe or I'll bring Papa's influence down on their necks!" With that, she stormed off and got into the vehicle.  
  
"Hang in there, Clark. If you need anything, let me know," Lex offered, embracing the other man. "Chloe, I want you to follow us there."  
  
"I'm needed here, Luthor," the reporter disagreed.  
  
The billionaire glared at her. "As much as I usually relish the verbal judo, this isn't the time for it." His icy blue eyes flashed daggers at her before softening in intensity. "Besides..." He smirked. "You can snoop around online using my secured network."  
  
The reporter stared at him incredulously. "You're serious? You'd let me use your top secret computer?"  
  
"Normally, I wouldn't let anyone in, Chloe. But this isn't a normal time and frankly, given Sheriff Adams' success rate, we need every advantage we can get. Your determination and investigative skills are what we need right now. Also, I can protect you and your father at the mansion. So how about it?" Lex explained.  
  
She concurred instantly. "Absolutely. We'll nail those creeps." She turned to Clark and Miranda. "Don't worry, guys. We'll get them back." She hugged them both tightly.  
  
You have no idea how right you are. Clark stared intensely at his father. "Just stay safe, all right?"  
  
"You too. Don't do anything stupid, Clark," Chloe concluded before walking to her car and getting in.  
  
"You heard her," Lex indicated. "That goes for all of you. I'll let you know if I hear anything." With that, he got into his Ferrari and took off, leading Chloe out of there.  
  
After the two cars were out of sight, Jonathan complimented, "You're showing great control, Clark. I'm proud of you."  
  
The young man protested, "Like that does us a lot of good! Mom and Lana are gone! We could be targets right now for the Black Hand!"  
  
"Who?" his father inquired, giving them a focused stare of his own.  
  
"The guys we ran into in Metropolis at the museum," Miranda explained, running her hand through her hair. "Those goons were wearing their stuff."  
  
"Why didn't you say anything to the police about this?" the farmer demanded.  
  
She shook her head. "Mr. Kent, after that incident, Clark, Lana and I looked into the order. They're an international criminal syndicate. This is much bigger than our own resident Inspector Clueless."  
  
"Did they see your faces at all?" Jonathan asked with concern; his paranoia over the shared secret kicking into overdrive.  
  
"No, Dad, they didn't," Clark told him before heading off toward the barn.  
  
The sensei added, "We need to get our heads on straight. I'll go talk to him, Mr. Kent."  
  
"Thanks, Miranda. I'm glad you're here right now for all of our sakes," Jonathan expressed.  
  
"You and me both," Miranda concluded before heading after her good friend.  
  
Chapter 4 [Luthor Castle—Three hours later]  
  
After pulling into the mansion garage, Lex led the others into the ancient structure and up the stairs toward his study. As always in a crisis situation, his mind weighed all of the variables, taking in everything around them.  
  
As they reached the study, Jasmine excused herself. "Everyone, I want to call my father in private. Lex, can I use the phone in my room for that?"  
  
He looked strangely at her. She can do that in here. What's the deal? "Sure, Jasmine. We'll let you know what we find."  
  
As she headed down the hall, she passed by Gabe Sullivan. "Mr. Sullivan, are you all right?"  
  
"I'd be better if I knew where Lana and Martha Kent were, Princess," he admitted. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I need to speak with my father first. Then I'll join you all in the study," she told him, heading into her room.  
  
He headed for the study, walking in there to find Lex, Chloe and Abdul conferring over the former's thinkpad. "Anything?"  
  
"Not yet. My contact says that they could be affiliated with any one of several known crime syndicates or terrorist groups. We'll find them though," the billionaire declared.  
  
"I'm not leaving my friends in the hands of those creeps," Chloe asserted, as she kept probing the Internet connections.  
  
"By the time the Sultan learns of this incident, he'll bring his full diplomatic influence into it as well," Abdul asserted.  
  
"Oh great. He'll think we're not taking care of her," Lex groused.  
  
The bodyguard disagreed, "No, Mr. Luthor, when I talked to him about it, he was grateful that the Princess was all right and safely here. He's grateful to you and young Mr. Kent for keeping her from danger." I'm sure Clark's thinking about keeping Lana out of danger. Cut it out, Lex. "That's good at least. Well, let's keep going."  
  
"Absolutely," Chloe agreed, thinking up search strategies.  
  
*****  
  
Meantime, Jasmine entered her bedroom door and closed it behind her. She rubbed her forehead, trying to deal with the stress surrounding the incident. I should call Papa but Abdul told him I'm all right.  
  
She heard the chattering from the corner cage.  
  
"Hi, Cocoa. I'm fine. Yes, yes...it was all too exciting," she informed her small furry companion.  
  
The monkey responded with more chattering.  
  
"Yes, we will do something," she agreed, sitting on the bed and looking at her hands. Since coming to America, she had worn long sleeves and her bracelets to cover her arms and wrists. "It's time to bring the others in, no?"  
  
Cocoa did a close imitation of a human nod—something learned from watching the visitors to the Sultan's court.  
  
She undid the left bracelet and rolled up the sleeve. There she saw the familiar tattoo of a sunburst with an open eye in the middle. The Black Hand strikes again. It is time to let the others know. I will do so in the closet since the cameras will see me. She entered the big walk in closet and shut the door behind her. After making sure that no bugs were in there, she took out her cell phone and dialed a secure access number.  
  
Yes? a voice answered in Arabic.  
  
Rajah, this is the White Dove. When the stars are in the sky... she replied.  
  
...the moon light is bright, Rajah answered. White Dove, we saw the report. You are unhurt, are you not?  
  
Yes. Two of my friends were taken by the ingrates, she reported.  
  
Calm yourself, White Dove. The Black Hand's movements are tracked as we speak. Are you ready to move? Rajah replied.  
  
Yes, I am. We must preserve the emirate, as well as the world order. Have you found the men here who's allied with the Hand?  
  
Not yet. We are working on that as well. When the women are found, you will be notified. Rajah out, he concluded.  
  
I'm not going to allow Lana or Mrs. Kent to get hurt because of some political turmoil. Jasmine stewed, wishing she could do something more. At least, my brethren are working on this mess. When they call, I'll be ready. Now to call Papa.  
  
With that, she dialed again, hoping to get to her father. When he answered, she breathed a sigh of relief and reassured him that everything was all right. After she hung up, she plopped on the bed and looked at the ceiling. Now that business is taken care of, I can wait for the signal. Nobody harms my friends and gets away with it. Nobody.  
  
Chapter 5 [Black Hand Headquarters, Warehouse—Metropolis Waterfront]  
  
Even as Jasmine spoke with her brethren, a dark blue van pulled up beside a run down warehouse adjacent to the docks. It had been a hasty ride from Smallville, mixing speed with the need to evade the authorities.  
  
"We're here," the leader indicated, opening his door and getting out. "Move 'em out!"  
  
His accomplices stood up from their seats. Half of them got out and flanked the vehicle, pointing automatic weapons at it. The others urged their two victims out with the ends of their guns. "Move it!"  
  
Lana glared at her captors. Even though her hands were tied, she could have dealt with these creeps easily. "Take it easy."  
  
"Lana, don't," Martha told her.  
  
"Listen to her, Sweets," the leader agreed, opening up the back. "Come on!"  
  
The goons led their captives into the warehouse and down several sets of stairs until they reached the basement. Walking through a door, they found themselves in a large echoing chamber. Along the walls, several computer terminals hummed away busily, tracking global data.  
  
In the center of this activity, a masked figure surveyed all. Seeing the newcomers, the person asked, "Are these the ones that our ally wanted?"  
  
"Yes, High Leader," the chief goon replied. "It was easier than we thought. The Kent boy didn't resist. I wish he would have tried something. What a weakling."  
  
I bet you would. Weakling indeed. Lana frowned.  
  
Lana Lang, be careful, Jor-El's voice advised from within her head.  
  
"Lock them in the guest room," High Leader commanded, pointing toward the small room off to the side. "There's a call I need to make. Good job, all of you." With that, the masked figure left for the stairs.  
  
*****  
  
After the door closed, Martha and Lana looked around at their cramped quarters. Other than two rickety wooden chairs, the room was devoid of any furnishings.  
  
"They don't care if we're comfortable, do they?" Lana groused.  
  
"Somehow, I don't think that's their first priority," Martha presumed, settling on the floor. "Why don't you sit down and cool off?"  
  
"I wish I could do something," the teenager complained.  
  
Martha shook her head. "There's no telling what they have out there, Lana. All we can do is relax and not do anything rash. Knowing Clark and Lex, they're hot on our trail."  
  
Lana managed a smile. "I'm sure he is." And hopefully, Jor-El's advising him to stay calm.  
  
As I am with you, Lana Lang, the deceased Kryptonian pointed out.  
  
Clark, I wish you were here. With that, she slumped to the ground, resting her back against the wall and trying to consider their situation.  
  
*****  
  
[Lionel Luthor's office, LuthorCorp]  
  
Lionel sifted through a pile of field reports concerning LuthorCorp's activities in Smallville and Granville. The cloning operations continue along in fine fashion. Hopefully this time we won't repeat the Emily Dinsmore debacle. Lex is a fool. He doesn't understand the need to step over the ants to advance one's cause.  
  
Then the phone rang.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Lionel, this is High Leader. Phase 1 is complete," High Leader reported.  
  
The businessman smiled wickedly. "And you have both women?"  
  
"They're locked away for safe keeping. When do we send out the demand?"  
  
"Let the Kents sweat a bit. I'd say tomorrow morning," Lionel responded. "Meantime, keep an eye on our guests, will you? I can arrange for some food to be sent over if you'd like."  
  
"Do that. Very well, we shall contact the farmer in the morning. Good night," High Leader concluded, hanging up the phone.  
  
Lionel grinned. "Yes. This is going very well—very well indeed."  
  
Chapter 6 [Several hours later]  
  
Jasmine sat on her bed, still fuming over the kidnapping incident. While the others worked away on tracing the Internet trail on the American side, she knew her contacts were laboring on the same issue from the Javalastanian side. "Hopefully, someone will know something soon."  
  
Less than five minutes later, her cell phone buzzed again.  
  
As with before, she walked into the closet and shut it behind her. Rajah, this is White Dove.  
  
The sun shines high....  
  
She continued, In its blue nest of sky. What have you discovered?  
  
The agent on the other end reported, Your friends are being held in Metropolis waterfront district. We're working on getting an exact fix on their location.  
  
That's great. Can you get me out of here? she inquired, knowing the cameras would be watching her every move.  
  
In a minute. Be careful, White Dove. Five minutes and then—you have to move. Rajah out, Rajah concluded.  
  
Jasmine changed into her dark robes and wrapped her face in a black scarf. After rigging her bed with pillows to make it seem like she was sleeping there, she opened the doors to the outside terrace. "I'll be back soon, Cocoa. Be good." With that, she pulled her magic carpet outside. After shutting the doors behind her, she took off into the night sky. I wonder if Clark has found out anything?  
  
Thinking of the farm boy, she turned Carpet toward the Kent Farm and streaked there at top speed.  
  
****  
  
[Fortress of Solitude—Five minutes earlier]  
  
Clark paced about length of the loft, trying to come up with a plan to rescue his mother and girlfriend. He ran through several different scenarios in his head. While each looked promising at the start, he could see heavy risks as well.  
  
Calm yourself, Kal-El, they are all right for now.  
  
"They've been kidnapped, are who-knows-where and you say they're fine?" Clark protested vehemently. "Come on!"  
  
And what do you propose? You would charge in, wouldn't you? Don't you remember what happened the last time you and Lana did that?  
  
He grit his teeth while recalling the standoff in the museum. They know about the kryptonite.  
  
Exactly. They know our weakness and they'll use it against you. Jor-El went silent for a minute. Trust in your friends, Kal-El.  
  
"I thought you didn't trust Earth people," Clark supposed, somewhat sarcastically.  
  
You have a special group surrounding you. They care about our culture, you and Lana. Trust in them.... With that, the Voice went silent.  
  
"I would like to," Clark sighed.  
  
"Like to do what, Clark?" Miranda asked, coming up the stairs. "Sorry, I was about to knock. Is there anyone else up here?"  
  
"Not now," he replied. "My biological father was giving me advice." He pointed to his head.  
  
She looked at him curiously. In the four months that she had lived with the Kents, she had heard that he had these conversations in his head. "I wish my real father could talk to me like that."  
  
"It's not all it's cracked up to be," he retorted wearily. "We're sort of getting used to each other."  
  
She wanted to press the point further but let it drop due to the circumstances. I'll find you someday, Mama and Daddy. Then she turned her attention back to the crisis at hand. "They'll be all right, Clark."  
  
"I know. Jor-El just said as much. He also warned me not to go charging in," he recounted.  
  
"I agree," she concurred. "We can go in as a team."  
  
"We? What we?" he inquired. "Miri, I don't want everyone knowing the Secret, all right?"  
  
She rolled her eyes. "It's not like people don't know now, Clark. And we do have some pretty good help among those who do know."  
  
"Like who? Granted, Lex and Chloe are plugging away at the Internet end of things but we can't just walk into the Black Hand's place and just say 'Hi! You have some friends of ours. Give them back or we'll kick your tail.'," he retorted.  
  
"I know that, Clark. Still, between Byron, Sasha, you and me, we might be able to pull it off," she declared.  
  
"Miri, we don't know how many creeps they have in there!" he protested.  
  
[At that moment, he could have sworn he heard Lana's voice in his head. I wish he could hear me.]  
  
He looked around frantically. "What the?"  
  
"What?" Miri asked. "Clark, what is it?"  
  
"I could have sworn I heard her," he noted. Now I'm hearing things. Great....  
  
[Clark? Lana's voice asked inside of his head. Is that you?]  
  
"There she is again!" he stated.  
  
"There who is? Clark, there's nobody up here but us," Miri informed him.  
  
[He put his hand up. If that's you, are you and Mom okay?]  
  
[A minute later, Lana responded, Uh yeah...we're fine. What is this, Clark?]  
  
You're both experiencing Kryptonian telepathy, Jor-El explained over their shared link.  
  
This is supposed to happen? Clark and Lana wondered.  
  
It is part of your development—yes.  
  
Clark listened intently, trying to understand this new development.  
  
"Uh, Clark—Earth to Clark, come in, Clark," Miri interjected, tapping him on the shoulder. "What's going on in there?"  
  
"Lana and Mom are okay," he told her.  
  
"Of course they are," she agreed.  
  
"No, Miri, you don't get it. Lana just told me that she's okay," he insisted.  
  
"Uh, Clark, she's not exactly here....I know you do all of these cool things but read minds?" she asked skeptically.  
  
"Not all minds—just Kryptonian ones," he declared.  
  
"Lana's from around here," Miri argued.  
  
"Since she went after me last summer, she's been Kryptonian," he indicated.  
  
"This wouldn't have anything to do with that ship thing, would it?" she asked pointedly. When he looked at her, she continued, "She told me in secret and I've kept it, Clark. Nobody else knows."  
  
"The spaceship changed her," he admitted.  
  
[Clark, who are you talking to? Lana asked in his head.]  
  
[It's Miri.]  
  
[Okay, she told him, reassured over his keeping their secret safe.]  
  
At that moment, he heard something rustle outside of the Loft's door. "What the? Miri, I...uh...will be back in a minute. I gotta get something for Dad." He ran down the stairs, as his eyes watched the open door. What could it be? Once he was out of sight, he streaked around the corner and stopped at the sight above him.  
  
Jasmine hovered on a carpet just under the Loft door and out of sight for anyone up there.  
  
"Hey!" he yelled. "What are you doing there?"  
  
The figure stared at him anxiously but said nothing—shocked that he could be there so quickly.  
  
"Come on. Meet me in the Loft," he told her.  
  
She nodded and flew through the open door.  
  
As he reached the top of the stairs, he demanded, "How long have you been there?"  
  
"Just a couple of minutes. I'm sorry, Clark, I came over because I was concerned about Lana and your mother is all," the Princess admitted. "Carpet was the only way I could get past Lex's security."  
  
"I can't believe flying carpets really exist," Miranda doubted.  
  
"Or spaceships for that matter," Jasmine rebutted, looking at them both.  
  
He rolled his eyes. I can't believe this. Oh man, Dad's going to kill me. He started thinking of a story to deflect his alien heritage.  
  
She shook her head. "Clark, your secret is safe with me if you'll keep my flying carpet a secret."  
  
He looked curiously at the Princess. "I have a confession to make—I've known about that for a while now."  
  
Now it was her turn to stare at him. "How could you have...?" Then it hit her. "The two masked heroes at the airport on the night of my arrival. You were one of them!"  
  
"Yeah," he admitted uncomfortably. "We couldn't let anything happen to you or Lex." "And who's your partner?" she asked.  
  
"Pardon me if I hold that back," he said, trying to leave Lana out of the conversation if possible.  
  
"Jasmine, quit pushing," Miranda urged, sensing that the other woman was getting too close for comfort.  
  
I heard that comment about Lana but I'll leave it alone. "Fine. I don't want to scare you, Clark. By the way, I'm different too." She touched the floor in front of her, turning the surface of the wood to glue. "You remember that, don't you?"  
  
"That's how you did that," he realized, understanding now that she was unique too.  
  
"Yes. I understand what it means to be different, guys. As I said before, I swear to take your secret to the grave with me. Tell your partner that. By the way, can we get him or her to help us?"  
  
"The other's on vacation," he replied, thinking on his feet.  
  
Jasmine eyed them both with interest but said nothing. Now I know that it's Lana. "If you want to get them out, I have some information."  
  
Clark and Miranda looked at her. "How?"  
  
The Princess smirked. "I have my connections, you know. It helps when you have a sultan for a father." After touching the floor again and changing it back to normal, she sat down on the couch. "According to my sources, Lana and your mother are being held in a warehouse down on the Metropolis waterfront. We'll need to be careful because the Black Hand is behind this."  
  
The other two nodded.  
  
"Given that you've got your stuff, Clark, can you track them?" Jasmine wondered.  
  
"I don't have that kind of a bond with her," he lied, not wanting to tell her about the telepathic link just yet.  
  
"Too bad because we could have used that," Jasmine told them. "We're going to be heavily outnumbered—almost 20 to 1 in there."  
  
"I would say so," Miranda concurred, recalling the museum incident. "Can we call for backup?"  
  
"I don't want anyone knowing I have Carpet!" she protested.  
  
"Stay masked and it'll be all right," Clark pointed out. "We're talking about Byron Moore and Sasha Woodman is all."  
  
"Byron?" Jasmine doubted, giggling. "I'm sorry, my friends, but he's so gentle! What could he do to the Black Hand?"  
  
Clark and Miranda looked at each other, not knowing how to tell her.  
  
Finally Miri reported, "Let's say Byron has a dark side and you don't want to run into it in a dark alley." She took out her cell phone and dialed the poet's number. For two minutes, she talked into the phone, explaining the situation. Then, after she hung up, she noted, "We can meet him at the Talon."  
  
"What about this Sasha?" Jasmine inquired, not trusting the other two yet.  
  
"Leave her to me," he indicated, streaking off into the night. Within five minutes, he returned.  
  
"That was amazing!" Jasmine gasped.  
  
"Part of the package," he quipped. "Sasha will help us too. She'll meet us at the Talon too. How fast can Carpet go?" "About 60 miles per hour," she revealed. "Clark, if they know about your abilities—masked or not—they'll be ready for you to speed up to the gate. They saw you as did I use that at the airport."  
  
Miranda concurred, "She's got a point, Clark. They'll be ready for me too."  
  
"You?" Jasmine wondered.  
  
"The multi-level black belt ninja here has gotten me out of trouble before," he noted appreciatively. "Trust me; you don't want to mess with her."  
  
"Especially where Lana and Mrs. Kent are concerned," the sensei advised. "I'll grab my gear and we can take off before your Dad gets back from the Sullivans."  
  
"I'll leave a note so he won't ground us when we get back," he volunteered.  
  
"You do that," his housemate teased. "Super stud here has to be careful, Jasmine." With that, she hurried downstairs and out to her vehicle. Grabbing her gear, she ducked back into the barn where she changed into her ninja robes and prepared her weapons. "Clark! Get that note ready!"  
  
"Right," he agreed, speeding into the house and writing the note. A minute later, he returned in his disguise with the mask pulled up so they could see his face. "Ready!"  
  
"Let's go," Jasmine urged, motioning them onto Carpet and taking off into the night.  
  
*****  
  
[Talon—Ten minutes later]  
  
Byron stood out in front of the café, waiting for a sign of Clark or Miranda. He had felt tremors lately from his alter ego, the dark one inside of himself, and knew he was primed for a confrontation. "When are they going to get here?" he muttered. Seeing Sasha approaching, he asked, "Talon's closed, you need something?"  
  
"I might ask you the same thing," she replied sharply, adjusting her glasses and giving him a pointed stare. "I'm waiting for someone."  
  
"Me too," he declared, looking around to make sure they weren't being followed.  
  
"Yeah, I'd hate to see you getting stood up," she supposed, recalling the stories of his condition.  
  
"That's an understatement," he agreed. Then he saw Clark hustle over. "Clark, what's going on? Miranda said it was urgent."  
  
"Is everyone okay?" Sasha added. Granted, she had been in ultra- competitive mode during freshman year but she was over that now.  
  
"So far," Clark indicated. "Follow me." He led them to where Miranda and Jasmine waited; the latter already masking her face. "Our back up." "Thanks, guys," Miranda expressed.  
  
"No problem," Byron assured them. "Where's our ride?"  
  
Jasmine pointed down silently at Carpet.  
  
"Right—a flying carpet?" Sasha doubted.  
  
"Try it," Miranda told her.  
  
As soon as they got on the fabric, Jasmine focused, sending them skyward and speeding toward the big city.  
  
Clark looked down and gulped. Granted, he still had his fear of heights but Lana's safety in addition to his mother took precedence in his mind. Hang on; we're coming to get you out.  
  
Chapter 7 [Black Hand's Headquarters]  
  
Lionel hustled into the lower level sanctum, wanting to see his plans' success coming to fruition. Since High Leader had called, he wanted to make sure that this part of the plan proceeded along. Then we can appeal to Clark's sense of responsibility. His secrets will be mine yet. Straight ahead, he saw the robed figure. "High Leader, thank you for calling."  
  
The mastermind bowed. "Lionel, it's my pleasure. Please follow me." They walked over to the locked door. After unlocking it, the guide indicated, "Follow me."  
  
Inside, the businessman saw the two women spring to their feet; obviously prepared for anything. "Martha, Miss Lang, I trust you're all right?"  
  
"Lionel, I might have known you'd be working with them," Martha declared.  
  
Lionel smirked. "Maybe if you'd been more forthcoming when you were working for me, Martha, I might not have to do this. What are you hiding?"  
  
"Excuse me?" the farm wife asked incredulously. "I never hid anything from you concerning the LuthorCorp books. If anything I tried to help you."  
  
"Ah yes..." He nodded, rubbing his finger under his chin. "Is that why you and Clark burned those files? Unfortunately, I wasn't as blind as you both thought...and I have copies of those materials, you see. You see? There's nowhere else to hide."  
  
"Why does anyone have to hide?" Lana demanded. "Isn't it bad enough that you hound Lex? Leave Clark and the others alone!"  
  
"How noble of you, Miss Lang, to have everyone's well being at heart. However, my son is my concern. As for your roommate there and her family, if I'm right—power needs to be shaped and controlled," Lionel pointed out, digging in his coat pocket and producing a small chunk of kryptonite. "Beautiful, isn't it? It's so delicate yet it can hurt and kill." His eyes sparked as the rock caught the light in the room and glowed ever so slightly. "It even reflects borrowed light from time to time."  
  
Lana braced herself against the wall, maintaining a straight face, as she fought the initial nausea brewing in her stomach. "It is that, but the last thing I want to see is a reminder of what killed my parents."  
  
"That's right," High Leader added. "And if my associate is right, it'll kill your boyfriend as well."  
  
"Unless...of course...you want to tell me who Clark really is," Lionel indicated.  
  
Martha glared at her former employer. "He's a teenager who wants a normal life! All right? You need help, Lionel!" Knowing that Lana was getting sicker by the minute, she directed, "Unless you have anything else to say, go and grandstand somewhere else!"  
  
"You're a brave woman, Mrs. Kent," High Leader remarked.  
  
She smirked. "Trust me; my husband and son won't stop looking for us. I'm sure Lex is looking as well."  
  
"Yes. I'm sure he is," Lionel agreed. "Too bad that his mother taught him to care so much about people. Well, he and Miss Sullivan won't get very far. Already, my server is deflecting them on a wild goose chase." He smiled coldly. "I'm going to force Clark to come to us. Then I'll have him."  
  
"And how do you know he'll come?" Lana protested.  
  
"I have you...that's how I know. Know your enemy. Pick your battle site and the timing." Lionel grinned, almost resembling a cat with canary feathers in its mouth. For a second, he wiggled the stone in front of the prisoners, as if testing a theory before putting it away. "Now, it's a matter of time. Well, enjoy your time together."  
  
With that, the two men left the room, closing the door and leaving the women to themselves.  
  
Lana took several deep breaths. With the glowing green stone gone, she felt her strength returning.  
  
"Are you all right?" Martha whispered.  
  
Lana nodded. "Yeah. Just a minute." She swept the area with her x-ray vision. "No bugs and nobody's guarding the door. We're okay."  
  
"I hope Clark doesn't come for us," the worried mother declared.  
  
The younger woman looked skeptically at her. "This is Clark we're talking about. Mr. Luthor's right. He's coming at some point." She leaned closer. "And he's bringing help." Martha stared at her. "Help? How do you know?"  
  
The waitress shrugged. "I know my boyfriend is all." Not to mention the fact that we can read each other's minds. "He and Miranda will be ready for anything."  
  
Knowing how the boarder wanted to prove herself to the family, Martha sighed, "She would go along with this too."  
  
"Don't underestimate her, Mrs. Kent. She saved us in the museum," Lana noted, recalling the last time she had gone face to face with the Black Hand and a chunk of kryptonite. "And they won't be alone either. If we need to, I can break us out."  
  
"Lana, you'll expose yourself," Martha argued.  
  
"The Secret isn't worth your life or endangering Clark and the others, Mrs. Kent. You're like a mother to me. I won't let anything happen to you," Lana pointed out.  
  
"I know," Martha concurred, smiling at her cellmate and hugging her. "Just be careful, all right?"  
  
"I promise," Lana replied earnestly before switching to "mental mode". [Did you get that, Clark?]  
  
Chapter 8 [Across the street, rooftop overlooking the Black Hand's headquarters]  
  
As promised, Jasmine set a new speed record in the non-Kryptonian category for getting the group to Metropolis. With Rajah's directions guiding her in, she landed Carpet on an adjacent rooftop and allowed her friends to get off of it.  
  
"Is this it?" Byron wondered.  
  
"According to her source," Clark noted.  
  
Their guide looked at Carpet and requested, "Hover above the clouds until we need you again, please. Thank you, my friend."  
  
The magical item took off, soaring out of view.  
  
"That's incredible," Miranda remarked.  
  
"Carpet is a wonder," Jasmine agreed, straightening her facial covering. "What do we do now?"  
  
"We need to get them out," Clark declared.  
  
"Well, duh," Miranda indicated, glancing at him sarcastically. "But have you considered that they might have something waiting for us down there? We might want to try the side door."  
  
"I vote for that," Byron agreed. Sasha concentrated, tuning into the local bee traffic. "We have a scout to help us." ["Fly on and see what's in the building."]  
  
The honeybee took off.  
  
"What?" Byron asked.  
  
"Sasha controls bees," Miranda noted. "Too bad we don't have your old swarm here."  
  
As if on cue, they heard a deep buzzing noise. Turning, they saw a small cloud approaching them.  
  
"Wow," Clark gasped. "How did you get them back?"  
  
Sasha smirked. "They came back on their own after a while. I guess they know who the best queen is." She concentrated again, sending the army toward the Hand's headquarters. "They'll be waiting for my signal when we get there."  
  
At that moment, Clark felt some pressure in his head. What the?  
  
[Then he heard Lana's thoughts, Did you get that, Clark?]  
  
[Get what? Lana, are you all right? Where are you?]  
  
[We're on the bottom floor in a locked room off to the side of the Hand's base. Clark, Lionel Luthor's down here too and he has some kryptonite ready to use on you.]  
  
Crap. Clark grit his teeth, recalling Jasmine's warning earlier.  
  
"What is it?" Miranda asked him.  
  
He rubbed his head and looked below them.  
  
"Ah," she realized.  
  
"Lex's father is in on this. Apparently, he set a trap for me," Clark explained to the others. Turning to the masked princess, he added, "Just as you thought."  
  
Jasmine silently nodded in agreement.  
  
[Then he heard his girlfriend again. Did everyone come?]  
  
[They're all here. Did you see how many goons are down there?]  
  
[When they locked us in here, there were about thirty of them, Lana recounted.]  
  
[Hang tight. We're coming, he concluded. ]  
  
"Are you all right?" Byron wondered.  
  
"I'm fine. Let's go," Clark assured them, pulling on his mask. Then he put his hand up. "Actually, Byron, we need to switch things up. Apparently, they have something that can hurt me. Rather than take a chance, I was thinking...."  
  
"You want to switch disguises? I don't care, as long as it works," the poet agreed.  
  
Minutes later, the two rescuers had swapped disguises.  
  
"Let's go," Miranda urged. "Each of us takes a separate way in but we meet at the main door." When the others agreed, she pulled her face wrap over her features and disappeared into the shadows.  
  
Jasmine pointed at herself, Sasha and Byron before motioning to Clark.  
  
The Kryptonian nodded and, after letting his friends grab onto him, he jumped to the ground. "There."  
  
"My bees are set," Sasha indicated, feeling the mental 'buzz' in her head. "And they say all doors are clear." She hustled across the street and toward the right side door.  
  
"I'll go left. You and Jasmine take the center. Be careful," Clark urged before speeding into the building.  
  
Byron took several breaths before allowing his dark side to come out. He growled slightly before saying, "This way!"  
  
With that, they walked right in the front door.  
  
Unknown to them though, they tripped a hidden alarm in the process.  
  
*****  
  
[Hand Command Center—Five Minutes Later]  
  
The goon in charge of surveillance saw the light go off on his console and declared, "We have intruders!"  
  
"At last!" Lionel noted, thinking that Clark and his secrets were within his grasp.  
  
High Leader motioned the other Black Hand members into position around the room. Then they waited.  
  
*****  
  
In the back room, Martha wondered, "What's all of the racket for?"  
  
Lana listened with her super hearing for a minute. "Intruders. I'd say the cavalry's here."  
  
Be careful, Clark. Martha shook her head and hoped that Clark would be careful in the battle to come.  
  
****  
  
[Right outside the main door]  
  
Byron and Jasmine kept to the shadows as much as possible. They had taken out a few adversaries but the load had been light—seemingly too light for an operation of the Hand's magnitude.  
  
A minute later, Clark whizzed out of the darkness. "All clear on the left," he whispered.  
  
"A few for us," the Dark Poet rasped back low.  
  
They heard a scuffle break out to their right. A few blows later, it was over.  
  
Miranda slid back into the light and whispered, "Sorry, the creeps surprised me. Six of them all together. Where's Sasha?"  
  
"Right here," the last member of the rescue squad told them, stepping into the light. "Do we soften them up first?"  
  
"In a minute," Clark indicated. Using his x-ray vision, he looked at the Hand's command chamber. "They're ready for us."  
  
[Clark, be careful, he heard Lana advise.]  
  
[We'll do that. Tell Mom to get ready.]  
  
[Right, she concluded.]  
  
"Sasha, get the bees in position," Clark instructed.  
  
She took a breath, calling her workers to her.  
  
Within a minute's time, the swarm surrounded her.  
  
"Now?" she asked.  
  
"Byron, that's your cue," Clark told him.  
  
The Dark Poet ripped the door off of its hinges and flung it away.  
  
From the space, bullets sprayed into the darkness, missing them all.  
  
"Go!" Sasha urged, sending the bees into the space.  
  
****  
  
Within the chamber, the goons stood waiting for the next attack. When the door ripped away from its hinges, they had showered the darkness with a deadly hail, daring the intruders out into the open.  
  
But nothing happened for a minute or so.  
  
Then a strange noise could be heard—a deafening buzzing sound.  
  
A female voice yelled, "Go!"  
  
Lionel's eyes went wide as he realized what was about to happen. Consequently, he retreated to the back of the room.  
  
At that moment, the deadly swarm swept into the room, stinging a wide swath through the troops and creating an opening for Clark and the others.  
  
After the initial barrage, Miranda and Jasmine pounced on the remaining defenders, taking them with little trouble through a combination of martial arts and deadly weapons precision.  
  
Byron stomped into the room, knocking aside four attackers with one backhand. Seeing Lionel, he hustled across the room.  
  
Thinking it was Clark, the businessman held the kryptonite in view. "Stop or I'll use this!" Byron grabbed him and shook him hard, enjoying the torture he inflicted on his longtime nemesis and reaping payback for years of pain. Then taking the rock in his hand, he closed his fist, crushing it into powder and flinging the debris away from Clark who advanced behind him.  
  
After giving his friend a pat on the back, the Kryptonian crushed the doorknob in his hand and opened the door, freeing his mother and girlfriend.  
  
[Come on! He told Lana over their link.]  
  
[All right," Lana agreed, leading Martha through the battle and out the side door toward safety.]  
  
Seeing that, Clark surveyed the area. He and his friends had decimated the Black Hand's goons with surprising ease. However, with his super hearing, he picked up on sirens approaching from several blocks away. Accordingly, he waved the others out of the room.  
  
Byron dragged Lionel along with them, determining to leave the latter for the authorities when the chance arose.  
  
Chapter 9 [Several minutes later]  
  
As Clark had anticipated, the Metropolis police surrounded the warehouse and swept it clean. The Black Hand's equipment and operatives were hauled away for safe keeping.  
  
The Chief of Police, Martin Brooks, reserved the biggest prize for himself—Lionel Luthor. He had found the billionaire hanging by his pants' waistband outside of the front door.  
  
"I demand to be released!" the businessman protested.  
  
"That's not going to happen. We have information from a very good source on your connections with the Black Hand," Brooks replied. "In addition, there is the outstanding charge of murder."  
  
"Who would accuse me of such monstrous things?" Lionel demanded, putting on his best act of incredulity.  
  
"A very good source," Brooks countered, motioning to the darkness.  
  
From that direction, Lex and Chloe stepped into view.  
  
"Lex?" Lionel asked in disbelief.  
  
"Hi, Dad," Lex greeted, trying to keep a straight face at the sight in front of him. "Gee, now however could you have gotten yourself into this mess?"  
  
"Stop this, Lex! I'm warning you!" Lionel countered.  
  
Lex gave him the Smirk before responding, "Thank the charming Miss Sullivan here for getting through your games, Dad. Meantime, there's kidnapping and murder charges not to mention a few instances of trying to overthrow the Sultan of Javalastan." He let those words soak in for a few seconds as he savored his father's humiliating situation. "And then, there's the whole mess with me, Dad."  
  
"What do you want, Lex?" the elder Luthor wanted to know.  
  
Lex smiled coldly. "This time, I want you in prison where you belong."  
  
"Besides, The Torch needs this as an exclusive," Chloe added, snapping several pictures of the scene.  
  
"Miss Sullivan, I'm warning you," Lionel threatened.  
  
"Sorry, Mr. Luthor, you aren't threatening anyone for a long time," the reporter countered. "Not after the authorities are done with you."  
  
"What are you getting out of this, Lex?" his father demanded, as the police finally lowered him to the ground and secured him in handcuffs.  
  
"Three things, Dad," Lex pointed out. "First, to secure Jasmine's future and that of her region. Secondly, a designated favor later tonight or tomorrow from the Metropolis Police Department. Lastly, I've finally beaten you." "Lex," Chloe cut in. "Let's not get too vindictive now."  
  
"Whatever," the bald billionaire noted. "Take him away, Chief Brooks. I'll be by in a bit for my last favor. Make sure he's ready."  
  
The Chief nodded and led Lionel from the scene.  
  
"Where are Mrs. Kent and Lana? Your people said they'd be here," she asked.  
  
He shook his head. "Somebody beat us to the punch, Chloe. I wish I knew who."  
  
*****  
  
[Rooftop across the street]  
  
Martha breathed a sigh of relief, as she took in the clean night air. "Thank you for freeing us."  
  
"No problem, Mom," Clark replied, taking off his mask and hugging her. "I'm just glad you're safe."  
  
"And what about me?" Lana supposed, arching her right eyebrow.  
  
He gave her a disbelieving look. "You too." Then he kissed her for emphasis.  
  
Looking around, Miranda suggested, "We might want to leave before the police get curious as to why we're standing here."  
  
Jasmine nodded and motioned toward the sky. "Come, Carpet!"  
  
On command, the magic carpet swooped down toward them, alighting at their feet.  
  
The Princess motioned them onto the rug.  
  
Martha noted, "There's not enough room for us all. Clark, can you get Lana home?"  
  
He looked at his girlfriend and flashed the Kent smile at her. Then he responded, "Leave that to me, Mom. We'll be fine. Go on. We'll see you at home."  
  
Jasmine concentrated and sent herself and her friends skyward, streaking back toward Smallville.  
  
After the others had departed, Clark gazed upon Lana's features in the moonlight. The soft glow highlighted and accentuated her features. Her dark pools sparkled at him. She's beautiful.  
  
[Why thank you, Clark. I'm glad you're here too, she teased.]  
  
He rolled his eyes. [You know what I meant. I'm glad you're safe.]  
  
[Clark?]  
  
[Yeah?]  
  
[You're talking too much. Shut up and kiss me.] She smirked mischievously at him.  
  
[Smart aleck.] Taking her face gently in his hands, he locked lips with hers, sending sparks through them both. For several minutes, they kept this up. Then they came up for air.  
  
"Let's go home," she requested. "Race you!"  
  
"Losers first," he cracked.  
  
"In your dreams!" she laughed, racing off across the rooftops.  
  
It's good to have her back. He took a second to think about things before streaking off toward Smallville himself, eagerly leaving the scene behind them both.  
  
Conclusion [Next morning]  
  
[Hotel Room—Kansas City]  
  
High Leader sat on the bed. Rage seethed inside of this figure. Failure was intolerable and this fiasco would cost several heads at least.  
  
The phone rang.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"This is Samurai. You flew the nest successfully, I hear," Hansei Arighatto assumed.  
  
"We suffered a terrible toll due to our intrusive friends. Lionel Luthor's obsessions have cost us dearly," the shadowy figure reported.  
  
"And that's why you're leaving him to his son's whims? Cruel indeed," Arighatto noted.  
  
"Fitting, I think, Samurai. Still, are you ready to return?"  
  
"Soon. I need some more practice, I think. Then I shall return for those two and my daughter. Farewell for now," Arighatto concluded, hanging up the phone.  
  
High Leader hung up the phone and mused, Yes, I want them dealt with. All of them.  
  
*****  
  
[Metropolis Police Station]  
  
[A/N: Those Lionel fans out there will want to skip this section. The Lionel haters out there will want to read on. In a word, Lex gets even with creative license.]  
  
Lionel walked into the interrogation room under guard and watched as the door shut behind him. From his inability to contact his lawyer, he knew that High Leader and the Black Hand were cutting him off from assistance, thus assuring that he would pay dearly for his failures. Worse still, the orange coveralls further rankled him. In addition, he wondered what 'special favor' Lex had requested from the officers on the scene.  
  
"Patience, Mr. Luthor, it won't be long now," the accompanying officer noted, shutting off the feed from the room's cameras. His face was covered by a riot helmet and dark glasses. "Take a seat."  
  
He saw the special chair there with wrist and ankle restraints. "What is this?"  
  
"Payback, Dad," Lex commented, marching into the room with a shoebox under his arm. "Put him in the chair."  
  
"Lex? I demand to know what's going on!" his father bellowed while the officer forced him into the chair and secured the restraints.  
  
Lex shrugged. "Satisfaction, Dad."  
  
"Satisfaction?" Lionel wondered, staring at the shoebox. "You really don't want to kill me, do you?"  
  
Lex shook his head. "No, Dad, as tempting as that sounds, I want you to think about your fall." He opened the box to reveal a set of electric shears in there. "Besides, you always did like to make fun of my condition. I think it's time you found out what it's like." He took out the tool and plugged it in. Looking at the officer, he told the other, "Go and get a cup of coffee. I can handle him." He handed the other a hundred dollar bill.  
  
The guard pocketed the bill and directed, "Take as long as you like." After that, he walked out.  
  
"Come back! You can't let him do this!" Lionel protested.  
  
As the door closed and the locks turned, Lex replied, "Oh he can and will. It seems, Dad, that you have your share of enemies. They're eager to see your new look too." Running his hands through his father's mane and beard, he recounted, "A pity really—it took years for you to grow this. Ah well, I think a new look will do you good." Turning the clippers on, he let his father take in the sound for several seconds and then set to work.  
  
For almost twenty minutes, hair fell from the elder Luthor's head, as the younger mowed row after row, harvesting the tall red crop in front of him. After he had finished with the top of the head, the beard fell before Vengeance's scythe next.  
  
Lex stood back once he had finished his handiwork, admiring the result. "It looks good on you, Dad." He held a mirror up in front of his father's face.  
  
Lionel gaped at his appearance. He was now completely bald and barefaced. "What have you done?"  
  
"Remember all of the times you tried to forge me in your image? Now I've remade you into mine. Instead of me being your son, you're my father," Lex explained. "I've made you into my image. Besides, Dad, I hear the bald look is really in where you're going."  
  
The officer came back, sipping on a cup of coffee. After inspecting the prisoner's new appearance, he complimented, "You should have been a barber. That's nice work."  
  
"You'll understand why I passed on that line of work," Lex retorted cynically.  
  
"Yeah I guess I do," the officer agreed. "We'll take care of the debris, Mr. Luthor, and make sure the old man has extra special company. Besides, nobody saw you here."  
  
"Good," Lex urged. "Just make sure he doesn't get hurt...too much. See you around, Dad." He packed his equipment up in the shoebox and left.  
  
"You'll regret this, Lex!" Lionel bellowed, as the officer shut the door behind Lex.  
  
****  
  
[That afternoon—the Talon]  
  
Jasmine sat in the corner, enjoying her coffee and the last letter from her sisters. I do miss them. How I wish they would have come with me but they won't leave Papa and our home. At least, I have such wonderful friends.  
  
"Hi, Jasmine," Byron greeted. "Might I take a seat?"  
  
"Certainly. What can I do for you?" she asked pleasantly.  
  
"I was just wondering how everything's going," he remarked.  
  
"I'm fine now," she assured him, looking about the room. Sasha was reading a novel of some kind. Chloe typed away on her laptop. Pete Ross was trying to put the moves on yet another girl. Best of all, Clark and Lana were enjoying each other's company once again. "They're like poetry together, aren't they?"  
  
"Indeed," he concurred, smiling widely. "In fact, you just inspired me. If you will excuse me, I must write."  
  
"I would never stand in the way of inspiration, my good poet," she teased.  
  
He arched his brow at her before departing.  
  
Yes, I do have such wonderful friends indeed. With that, she resumed the letter reading.  
  
*****  
  
[The Fortress of Solitude—sunset]  
  
After Lana finished her shift at the Talon, she drove over to the Kent Farm. There she found Jonathan and Martha sitting together on the porch.  
  
"Hi!" she greeted.  
  
"Hi, Lana," Jonathan replied, as they stood up. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm all right, thanks to Clark and our friends," Lana informed them. "How are you, Mrs. Kent?"  
  
"I'm okay, Lana. Thanks for asking. You were very brave last night, especially when Lionel was holding that kryptonite in front of you," Martha complimented.  
  
"As if I was going to give myself away," Lana supposed. "Besides, I wanted to protect you."  
  
Martha's eyes shone warmly at her. "I know that and I appreciate how you handled yourself." The farmer cleared his throat. "Although I wish Clark and Miranda hadn't done it, well—at least they had a plan."  
  
"And we have friends who know about things and can be trusted. That's good too, right, Jonathan?" Martha added, jabbing at his rampant paranoia.  
  
Jonathan squirmed at that comment, still not sure about what to make of Byron and Sasha knowing about the super teens' secret. Clark and Martha had held back about Jasmine's knowledge at least for the present, preferring to ease him into that piece of the puzzle gradually.  
  
[Lana?]  
  
She turned and waved to the Loft door where Clark stood waiting for her. [I'll be there in a minute.] "Once again, I'm glad you're safe. Excuse me." With that, she streaked into the barn and up the stairs into the Loft.  
  
"You're getting good at that," he cracked, grinning at her.  
  
"I have a good teacher," she complimented, as she put her arms around his waist and gave him a kiss. "It seems we have a new gift to practice with."  
  
And you'll have plenty of time to do so, Lana Lang, Jor-El interjected.  
  
[We were wondering when you'd show up, Clark indicated.]  
  
There was no need for me to be involved last night, my Son. You and your friends acquitted yourselves well. Truly you will be a leader among men.  
  
[Lana interjected, Remember, behind every great man is a great woman.]  
  
Indeed. Just as with your mother, Kal-El, she will be your support. I leave you for now, Jor-El concluded, going silent. "He is something else," she remarked, wanting to speak normally for the moment.  
  
"It takes some getting used to," he agreed. Seeing the sunset behind them, he pointed out, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"  
  
"I suppose there's not another one like it in the entire cosmos," she replied earnestly. "Just like you, Clark."  
  
"Funny, I was going to say the same thing about you. Thanks to our friends, we can enjoy this moment," he declared.  
  
"We are lucky, Clark—we have your parents, our friends and each other," she explained.  
  
"Right. I like that 'each other' part," he noted, drawing her close to her as they kissed. As they did so, they floated off of the ground, their passion elevating them off of the ground.  
  
Such are the things that Love creates and maintains. And for our unique couple, things were great in the world on that night. Great indeed.  
  
THE END (for now) 


End file.
